The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for continuous flow injection extraction analysis employing flow injection solvent extraction.
Continuous flow analytical systems in which there is provided a continuous unobstructed carrier stream into which discrete volumes of sample solutions are injected for reaction with the carrier stream are known and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,013,413 and 4,022,575. However, the systems described therein for solvent extraction analysis have drawbacks in that the segmenters and phase separators described therein, typically need frequent maintenance and adjustment for continuing reliable results. Thus the need for such adjustments has been an obstacle in the development of a system capable of continuous, fully automated analytical procedures involving extraction of a liquid sample with an immiscible solvent. The present invention overcomes these problems.